BRITISH AIRWAYS NAMES LATIN AMERICA AGENCY OF RECORD

(July 29, 2001) -- British Airways has named Publicis Groupe's Publicis Sanchez & Levitan, Miami, as its agency of record for Latin America.

"We're the hub agency coordinating Latin American efforts," said Aida Levitan, the agency's co-chairman and CEO. British Airways' Latin American headquarters is also in Miami.

British Airways' global agency network is M&C Saatchi, London, but Publicis's Optimedia provides media buying services worldwide, and Publicis agencies work on the account in areas where M&C Saatchi doesn't have agencies, such as Latin America.

Publicis Sanchez & Levitan will work with its sibling agencies that already handle British Airways in Latin America. Ms. Levitan said her agency will coordinate day-to-day strategic planning, advertising and marketing activities such as the airline's Executive Club Newsletter, and share compensation with the local agencies.

Publicis bought 49% of Sanchez & Levitan in March 2001 in a deal that also included the acquisition by Sanchez & Levitan of two of the four offices of another Hispanic agency, Siboney USA, in Dallas and Los Angeles. The new Publicis Sanchez & Levitan agency functions as the Hispanic marketing unit of Publicis in the United States. -- Laurel Wentz